Axial thrashing and straw-reducing machine



Jan. 21, 1930. F. SCHLAYER AXIAL THRASHING AND STRAW REDUCING MACHINEFiled Feb. 29, I1928 2 Sheets-Sheet UNV EN TOF-2 AFelixv Jc layer'Jan.21,l930. F.scHLAYER L744J44 AXIAL THRASHING AND STRAW REDUCINGMACHINE Filed Feb. 29, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 sNvENToR FelixV Jrlayer'Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES FELIX SCHLAYER, F MADRID, SPAINAXIAL THRASHING AND STRAW-BEDUCING MACHINE Application led 'February 29,1928, Serial No. 257,803, and in Germany March 3, 1927.

This invention relates to improvements in axial thrashing andstraw-reducing machines with means for varying the duration of thetreatment of the thrashing material as described in my copendingapplications for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial Number662,577, filed Sept. 13, 1923, and Serial Number 124,734, filed July 24,1926, it having been proposed in the earlier of the two above namedapplications to allow a certain quantity of air continuously to enterfrom the rear end of the machine and for this purpose to provideadjustable plates at the dismachine embodying both the desirable fea-Vture of the retaining disc with the annular feature of the continuousadmission of additional air, and to this end the disc, while fast on theshaft and rotating therewith, is provided with a central opening for'the admission of such air. In the particular embodi-' 5` ment of thisapplication the rim of the disc is connected with its hub by relativelyshort spokes thereby producin sector-shaped apertures t rough which theair freely enters for assisting in maintaining a continuouscommunication between the interior of the machine and the atmosphere.

In the event of a cap being `provided at the discharge end of themachine for receiving and eventually carrying off the chaifto a sieve, ahollow co-axial cylinder, passing through the cap and surrounding theair ini lets, will be provided in the rear of the retaining disk,thereby to cause fresh air which carries no chaff to enter the machinedrum.

5U A preferred form of my invention will alspace between its rim and thedrum and the near the shaft low the required suction air simultaneouslyto be used also for cleaning the thrashed grain. This may beaccomplished by connectlng up to the apertures in the retaining disk orthe suction pipe, respectively, a conduit connecting with thedischarging or sackingmechanismof the machine, by means of which conduitair may be induced to blow through the flow of grains passing near theinlet opening of the said conduit.

For the motion of the air admitted from the rear of the machine it isimportant that its fiow through the interior of the machine be notobstructed, which would be the case, for instance, if the beaters weresecured to special collars on the beater shaft. In that case pocketswould be produced between each two beaters, which in themselves are notconducive to an even flow of air. These pockets or notches, however,especially when thrashing out moist straw, very often cause anaccumulation of the straw which will roll up to form a cushion orpadding having a diameter larger than that of the collars. Thereby theair will, from the beginning, be thrust radially outward, i. e. too nearthe circumference of the drum, and will consequently be unablesufficiently to approach the center of the machine. u

In order to obviate these dis-advantages the invention also contemplatesthe use of a barrel shaft for the support of the beaters, the latterbeing inserted through openings formed in fittings secured to the hollowor barrel shaft and in this position rmly secured thereto in anysuitable manner. This method of fastening and particularly theembodiment herein set forth avoids the above enumerated objections. Y

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction, combination, and arrangement of devices hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 shows the rear end of an axialthrashing and straw reducing machine, partly in side elevation, partlyin vertical longitudinal central section;

Fig. 2 is a section on line II-II of Fig. 1 and shows the retainingdisk; j

Fig. 3 is a section on line III-III of Fig. 2

Fig. 4 is a section on an enlarged scale, on line IV-IV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section through a. machine with adifferent type of beater shaft;

Fig. 6 is a section on line VI-VI of Fig. 5

Fig. 7 shows a jack for securing the beators;

Fig. 8 is a section on line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7.

In the drawings, l is the drum of the machine whose beater shaft 6 issupported in the bearing 53 in front of the discharge of the machine.Fast on the free end of the shaft is a retaining disk 49 which may,however, be axially movable or adjustable thereon; the disk rotatesinside of a cap or end housing 52 and closes the rear end of thecylindrical machine drum, leaving, however, an annular space 6l.

The part of the disk carrying the conical rim 50 is connected with thehub 63 of the disk by means of several short spokes 62, thus formingsector-shaped openings 64 near the shaft 6. On the side facing theinterior of the drum each of the spokes 62 carries a blower-wing whichwill, during the operation of the machine, promote the entrance of airinto the machine through the openings 64.

In order to prevent chaff from being drawn in, the disk 49 carries onits rear side a eoaxial hollow cylinder 66 extending through the cap 52and thus shutting off the openings 64 from the interior space of thecap.

The hollow cylinder or suction pipe 66 is connected to a conduit 69 ofsmaller diameter leading to the discharge pipe 67 of a delivery elevator68, the connection consisting of a funnel 70 which surrounds the inletopening ofthe discharge pipe like a cap and may be adjusted on theconduit 69 byv mea-ns of a sleeve 71, thereby to control the space leftbetween the suction pipe and the funnel. According to the position ofthe funnel more or less air, or none at all, will pass into the suctionpipe 66 at the place of connection.

Below the aspirating hole 72 of the conduit 69 there is a step formed bytwo plates 7 3, 74 provided in the discharge pipe 67 and leaving betweenthem a slot communicating with the atmosphere. The cleaning `material,which is fed to the upper plate 73 by the elevator will flow downuponthe lower plate past the slot 75. 77 is a partition which serves todistribute the cleaning material delivered by the buckets, evenly uponthe up- ;per plate 73. The lower plate 74 is adjustable, therebyenabling the width of theV slot 75 tobe changed. By meansof a'iiap 78the material arriving from the plate 74 will be directed to eitheroneof the discharges'79,

over which the sacks to be `filled are hung by means of holding devicesindicated by the hooks 76.

The retaining disk 49 is provided on its rear side, near the rim 50,with blower wings which serve to drive the air escaping through theannular space, very rapidly through the discharge opening 8l of the cap52 and towards the chopped-straw sieve S2; the chaff will thus once morebe thoroughly loosened and caused to release any grains that may havebeen carried along.

The subject matter of the draft producing mea-ns within the end housing,such for example as the vanes 80, for directing and rapidly distributingthe straw upon the sieve 82 is claimed in my application Serial No.368,221, filed J une 4, 1929. f

The operation of the machine is as follows: While in operation therevolving working members of the machine, assisted by the wings 65, willdraw in through the hollow cylinder 66, the air required at the exhaustend which, with the funnel 70 being adjusted close to the suction pipe66, is drawn in through the opening 72 of the conduit 69. Beforeentering through the opening 72, the air will flow through the slot 7 5formed by the two plates 7 3 and 74, where it will pass through the flowof falling grains, removing dust and other slight impurities from thelatter. The degree of the cleaning effect will be controlled byadjusting the width of the slot 75.

Adjustment of the funnel 70 admits of the possibility of regulating thequantity of air entering between the funnel and the hollow cylinder orsuction pipe 66 and joining the air flowing through the conduit 69. Thismay, for instance, be done in case only very little dirt is mixed withthe grain, or in case the stream of the grain is so heavy that thequantity of air admitted to the opening 72 through the slot 75 will notbe sufficient. Of course, nothing will prevent the whole quantity of airrequired to be taken from the slot formed by the funnel 7 O and thesuction pipe 66.

Sieve like perforations may be provided in the two discharge plates 7 3and 74, in addition to the air slot 75. This perforation of the bottomplates has the special advantage that small-grained admixtures, such assand, seeds of weeds, and the like, which are carried along by thematerial to be cleaned, will fall through the perforations of the sieve.f

In the further improved form of my invention shown in Figs. 5-8, ahollow cylinder 84 is rigidly connected to the shaft 6 by means ofdisk-shaped hubs 83, the hollow cylinder serving as carrier for thethrashing and straw-reducing beaters 85, so that the thrashing shaft isin reality a barrel shaft. Its diameter equals substantially the innerdiameter'of the openings 64, the air enter- "5 will they prevent thefree flow of the addiwhich they are secured, for instance by rivets 87.Each of the jacks 86 has a projection 88 extending into the interior ofthe cylinder,

and two `recesses 89, 90` arranged to form a T. .The recess 89 providedin the part of the jack extending into the barrel shaft, is intended toreceive the shank of a beater, while the other recess 90, which issubstantially contained in` the projection 88 extending into` the shaft,receives the foot of another beater..

The latter is pressed against the inner `wall of the recess 90 by meansof a studbolt 91, the conical foot of which engages in a bore of thebeater foot. The groove 92 4provided in the cylinder 84 so as to receivethe pro-V j ection 88, is long enough for the beater lying in the recess89 to be pushed on, in the direction of a chord, as far as the nextfollowing jack, the shank of the beater being held in the recess 89 bymeans of a wedge-piece 93; the back of this wedge is pressed against thebeater shank while its wedge surface 94 c0- operates with a wedgesurface 95 `of the jack, lying above the recess 90. The wedge 93 isheldin place by an extension 96 loosely embracing the screw bolt 91 andbeing operated upon by a screw-nut 97. j The square shank of this screwbolt 91 is shown at 98, and 99 is an aperture in the inner wall of theprojection `88 lying just opposite the screw bolt 91. e 4 Y It will beseen that each beater is held in two places: by the foot and aboutmidway the length of its shank; in case of stresses it will, therefore,show sufficient bending elasticity. Each jack in turn offers one placefor fastening a shank and one for fastening a f-oot,`thus serving atwofold purpose. To remove a beater it is only necessary to loosen thescrews of the jacks holding it.

. From the drawing it will appear that the jacks are rather low ascompared to the diameter of the `hollow shaft. j They will,therefore,'be no` obstruction to the passage ofA the grain introducedintoV thefront` part of the cylinder through the intake 100; nor

tionalI air admitted through the openings 64 into the rear part of themachine. VThe Vnum-` ber ofA jacks applied in a transverse plane is notrestricted to four.

lVhile I have herein shown `and preferred forms of my invention. I wouldhave it understood thatI am in-no wise limit ed thereto, but thatothermodifications may be `.Iliade ,in the` ferm, prepertion, and com`described struction of the several parts within the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An axial thrashing and straw reducing machine, comprising, incombination, a drum, an intake at one end, an outlet at the other end ofthe drum, fixed operative parts on the inside of the drum, a rotatableshaft Within said drum, revolving operative parts secured to the shaftand serving, in cooperation with the fixed operative parts, to thrashout and reduce the material to be treated; a retaining disk at thedischarge end of the machine, said disk being fast on the shaft andleaving an annular space between its rim and the wall of the machinecasing, a central opening in the disk for the admission of air, andspokes serving to connect said disk with its hub or with the shaft.

2. In a machine according to claim 1, a cap at the rear end of t-hemachine, serving to receive reduced straw, said cap surrounding the diskat a certain radial distance and being provided with a lower outletopening, a cylindrical coaxial extension on the rear side of theretaining disk, said extension surn rounding the air inlets in thecenter of the disk and extending through the rear wallof the receivingcap, thus serving as a suction pipewfor the air inlets.

3..Machine according to claim 1 in which the spokes of the disk areprovided with members which further assist the propulsion of air throughthe openings in the disk.

.4. Machine according to claim 1, in which blower wings are fastened tothe spokes of the retaining disk.

5. Machine according to claim 1, `with a cap at the rear end serving toreceive the reduced straw, said cap surrounding the disk at a certainradial distance and being provided with a lower outlet opening, acylindrical coaxial extension being provided in the rear of theretaining disk, said extension surrounding the air inlets inthe centerof the disk and extending through the rear wall of the receiving cap, anannular space between the cylindrical extension and the rear wall of thereceiving` cap.

6. Machine according to claim 1, having a conduit connected up to thecentral openreduce the material to be treated; a retanf.

ing disk at the discharge end of the machine, said disk being fast onthe shaft and leaving an annular space between its rim and the wall ofthe machine casing, a central opening in the disk for the admission ofair, spokes serving to connect said disk with its hub or with the shaft,a coaxial extension provided in the rear of said retaining disk andsurrounding the air inlets in the disk center, thus serving as a suctionpipe for the air inlets, a conduit being connected up to the suctionpipe, said conduit serving as suction conduit for a device cleaning thegrain by means of air forced to pass therethrough.

8. Machine according to claim 7, in which said conduit serves as suctionconduit for a discharging elevator provided with devices for inducing adraught of air to pass through the grain being discharged.

9. Machine according to claim 7, in which said conduit serves as suctionconduit for a discharging elevator, the discharge pipe of the elevatorbeing connected to the suction conduit and having stepped dischargeplates which allow air to pass between them, a partition being providedabove the first discharge plate and serving to distribute the materialto be cleaned and which has been raised by the elevator.

10. Machine according to claim 7, in which a regulating device isprovided between the hollow cylindrical extension and the suctionconduit connected thereto, said regulating device serving to admitadditional air into the hollow cylindrical extension.

11. Machne according to claim 7, in which an air regulating device isprovided between the hollow cylindrical extension and the suctionconduit, the suction conduit being of smaller diameter than the hollowcylinder, said regulating device consisting of a sleeve movable on thesuction conduit, a funnel shaped mouth connected to the sleeve, saidfunnel-shaped mouth being placed in front of the admission end of thehollow cylinder.

12. In an axial thrashing and straw reducing machine of the classdescribed, a shaft mounted in bearings of the machine, a tube ofconsiderably larger diameter fixed on the shaft, the arms of revolvingoperative members being inserted into this tube in the position ofchords, each arm being secured to the tube wall at the two places whereit passes through the latter.

13. Machine according to claim 12, having a fastening device at theplace of passage of the beater arm through the wall of the barrel shaft,said fastening device having securing points for two beaters followingeach other in the direction of rotation.

Vrigidly connected with the barrel wall and serving as fastening devicefor two revolving beaters, two recesses in the jack arranged in T-shape,one of said recesses serving to receive the foot of one of the beaterarms, and the other recess serving to receive the shank of the otherbeater arm.

15. In an axial thrashing and straw reducing machine of the classdescribed, a barrel shaft, the arms of revolving operative membersinserted in the barrel shaft in the position of chords, a jack providedat the place of the passage of the beater arm through the barrel wall,said jack being rigidly connected to the barrel wall and serving asfastening means for two revolving beaters, two recesses in the jackarranged to form a T, one of said recesses serving to receive the footof one of the beaters, a stud bolt being provided in the jack andserving to secure the beater foot; the other recess serving to receivethe shaft of the other beater, a wedge-piece being provided, serving toclamp said beater shank in its position.

16. Machine according to claim 15, said wedge-piece loosely embracingthe stud-bolt, a nut on the latter serving to hold the wedgepiece firmlyin its place.

17. An axial thrashing and straw reducing machine including a drum and arotatable shaft therein, a retaining disc at the discharge end of themachine said disc being fastened on the shaft and an annular space beingprovided between the peripheral edge of the disc and the wall of themachine casing, said disc having a central opening for the admission ofair.

18. An axial thrashing and straw reducing machine of the character setforth in claim 17 wherein a rearwardly extending conduit member leads tothe central opening.

19. An axial thrashing and straw reducing machine of the character setforth in claim 17 wherein the disc is provided with a rearwardlyextending conduit-like member leading to the opening therein.

20. An axial thrashing and straw reducing machine of the character setforth in claim 17 wherein a rear end housing is provided around the discto form a receiving chamber in the rear thereof, said housing having anoutlet.

21. An axial thrashing and straw reducing machine of the character setforth in claim 17 'wherein a rear end housing is provided around thedisc to form a receiving chamber in the rear thereof, said housinghaving an outlet, and a conduit-like member passing through said rearend housing and leading to the opening in said disc.

22. An axial thrashing and straw reducing machine including a drum and arotatable shaft therein with working members thereon, an end closingdisc having an air suction opening at the center thereof, a grainpassage and means for passing the grain therethrough, and means forpassing air across said passage and through the grain and leading it tothe opening in the disc.

23. In a machine of the character set forth in claim 22 whereinregulating means is provided for controlling the iow of air across saidpassage and into the machine.

24. A machine of the character set forth in claim 22 including aregulating device at the intake leading across the grain passage and asecond regulating means at the entrance into the machine.

25. A machine of the character set forth in vclaim 22 including a rearend housing providing a receiving chamber beyond the disc with aconduitlike member extending through said housing and forming part ofthe means for conducting air to the opening at the center of the disc.

26. A machine of the character set forth in claim 22 including a rearend housing providing a receiving chamber beyond the disc with aconduit-like member extending through said housing and forming part ofthe means for conducting air to the opening near the center of the disc.

27. In a machine of the character set forth inclaim 22 wherein the meansfor passing the grain through the passage includes an elevator carryinggrain from a receptacle beneath the machine.

28. An Vaxial thrashing and straw reducing machine including a drum anda rotatable shaft therein, a retaining disc at the discharge end of themachine, the periphery of said disc being spaced from the wall of themachine caslng providing an annular space, the disc having an openingindependent of said annular space for the admission of additional air,an end housing forming a receiving chamber to the rear of the disc and aconduit-like member passing through said housing and leading to theopening in the disc.

29. A machine of the character set forth in claim 28 wherein means areprovided for regulating the admission of air to said conduit.

30. A machine of the character set forth in claim 28 wherein theconduit-like member rotates with the shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

FELIX SCI-ILAYER.

